


A Taste Of The Truth

by JaneyKatherineHummingbird



Series: Rare Pairs For The Win [20]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-14 02:16:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14125953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneyKatherineHummingbird/pseuds/JaneyKatherineHummingbird
Summary: Prompt Fic for Kirkhura. Jim and Nyota are having what seems to be peaceful diplomatic discussions with an alien race, when suddenly they’re accused of being liars and thrown in jail.





	A Taste Of The Truth

Prompt: “How stupid do you think I am?”

 

Another mission, another damp, cold uncomfortable alien jail cell. Jim Kirk leaned his head back against the stone wall and sighed. It had all been going so well: they’d had a friendly first contact and the native leader had invited them to visit and have further discussion. 

He’d thought the talks had been going well, but, well, here he was, devoid of communicator and phaser and left to rot along with his disgruntled communications officer, who was peeved at him for their current state and sat glaring morosely at the bars imprisoning them. 

He couldn’t for the life of him figure out what he’d done wrong, but she was clearly ticked at him, or so he thought.

“Please don’t tell me you flirted with the high priestess or the chief’s daughter,” she sighed at last. 

Jim snorted. “How stupid do you think I am? I did pay attention during the pre mission briefing when you filled us in on etiquette and the whole capital punishment tendency. I may be foolhardy, but I’m not interested in dying again anytime soon.” 

“That’s a relief to hear,” Uhura said with a small smile. “But That also brings us back to square one as to how we ended up here. I have no idea what I did wrong, but something made them suspicious out of the blue.”

“I’m wracking my brain right now,” Jim said, returning to deeply concentrating on trying to decipher what had earned them the accusation of being spies.

“They asked that weird question about us being a couple and you told them no, of course, then they started getting frigid,” The Captain recalled, rubbing himself to try to keep warm. “Do they have some sort of taboo we inadvertently violated?” 

“I don’t think so, otherwise we’d be dead or forcibly married by now,” Uhura said. “But they called us liars for some reason and I wonder if they misunderstood us.” 

Jim shrugged. “Let’s hope they give us a chance to clear it up. Otherwise I’ll be forced to do something stupidly daring and foolhardy to try to get us out of here.” 

She glared. “You sure as heck are NOT, Captain.” 

They waited for hours in that cell before a guard came and escorted them, chains and all, before a high official.

“After much discussion, it is my opinion that my lord was much too hasty to reach conclusions about you off-worlders and I wanted to give you too a chance to explain yourselves,” the reptilian like alien explained. 

Nyota looked at Jim, who nodded as if to tell her go ahead and speak for both of them. 

“Sir, we were accused of lying, but we have spoken the truth about our status as representatives of Star Fleet and the Federation Of planets,” she told him. 

“Yes you are,” he confirmed. “I can taste no lie there. But it is untrue that you have no romantic feelings for each other. It was palpable as you watched each other speak.” 

Both Jim and Uhura stared, the Captain going red in the face. 

“I beg your pardon sir,” Uhura managed, “but we were not asked if we were in love, we were asked if we were a couple, unless I misinterpreted the question.”

“Can you not ssssense each other’s thoughts?” Asked the official looking confused.

“No, we can’t,” she told him. “Humans do not have that ability.”

Realization dawned in his eyes. 

“Ahh! Sssoooo zzzzsat explains it. You have not communicated these affections to each other and thus are speaking the truth when you ssssaid you are not mated.”

The official pondered this for a moment while Jim and Nyota looked everywhere but each other. 

“Why did you not speak up, Captain?” He queried.

So many reasons, thought Jim, but he blurted out, “I did not think I was worthy of her, Sir.”

“And you?” Uhura was asked.

“Ommm, I didn’t think he wanted a mate,” she admitted, cringing at herself. It was overly simplified, but she didn’t know how to word it being put on the spot like this. 

The official beamed upon them. 

“While I assure you, you are both wrong. Lieutenant, while you were speaking yesterday we sensed a strong feeling of pride, affection and wistfulness from the Captain.” 

Jim wanted to drop dead on the spot, but forced himself to remain composed, though his face was practically on fire as his deepest secret was revealed. 

“Captain, when you were interacting so amiably with our people, the lieutenant was feeling equal affection, protectiveness, and pleasure.”

“Oh,” The Captain said lamely, not knowing how to react. 

“Perhaps the two of you would wish to talk the matter over in private?” The helpful alien hinted. “Rssssshaaark, show them to guest quarters!” He ordered. 

The Starfleet officers followed their guide in a daze as they were escorted to comfortable adjoining rooms. 

“Ummm, this is clearly one of those crossroad moments where we either agree to never speak of it again, or give in and confess all,” Jim said, staring at the floor and terrified beyond all reason. He’d thought he’d buried his feelings for her a long time ago, back when she was dating Spock, but the aliens had seen right through him. 

“So, you’re admitting they’re on the right track?” He heard her ask softly. 

Jim swallowed hard. 

“Yeah,” he whispered. He felt like a shy kid again and was almost holding his breath waiting to hear her response. She walked up to him and gently tilted up his chin to look at her. 

“Could have said something before, Jim,” she said gently, making Jim’s pulse accelerate. “I admit they were spot on with me also. So what do you say? Wanna talk things over?” 

The old Jim would have turned this into innuendo or made a moment killing smartass remark, but this Jim smiled brightly and accepted the offered hand squeezing it in his. 

“I’d love to.”


End file.
